Knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward rabies in three provinces of Indonesia

Background and Aim: Rabies is an important viral zoonotic disease that is mostly transmitted through the bite of a rabid dog. Despite serious efforts regarding its control, rabies is still endemic in many provinces of Indonesia. The study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to rabies in urban and rural areas in three provinces of Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A total of 432 respondents of different age groups, educational levels, geographical areas, and occupations participated in this study. Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire with online and offline modes to assess the KAP of rabies among the respondents. A series of Chi-square tests and frequency distribution analyses were performed to determine associations between response variables. Results: Of the 432 participants, 56.9% were aware of the clinical signs of rabies. Excepting for people at high risk of contracting the disease (e.g., veterinarians), most respondents (83.1%) were not vaccinated against rabies. Surprisingly, 79.4 % of those who were bitten by an infected dog did not seek medical care from the doctor and approximately 71.8% had poor knowledge of rabies control and vaccine campaigns. Of all respondents, 64% (p<0.05, odds ratio=1.63) were vaccinated after an infected dog bite. Similarly, 32% (p<0.05, odds ratio=1.59) were aware of surveys and vaccinations in their areas. In contrast, 20.7% (p